Lever-operated electric switch



Aug. 1, 1928.

LEVI]! OPERATED ELECTRIC SIITCH "10d larch 30. 1927 J 'IIIII/I/II/IIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIlI/III.

& ugfiiv age Patented Aug. 7, 192 8.

UNITED STATES LEVER-OPERATED ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed March 30, 1927. Serial No. 179,642.

My invention relates to certain improvements in a lever-operated switch, in which the operating lever has an enlargement at its end forming a hand-hold.

The object of this invention is to make the enlargement detachable from the lever so that the switch structure can be mounted under a slotted plate, the slot being narrow to allow the body of the lever to project therethroug'h. The enlargement is so designed that it can be applied to the projecting end of the lever after the switch structure has been assembled on the plate. By this construction, it is only necessary to make a narrow slot in the plate.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a lever snap-switch showing my improvements;

Fig. 2 is an end view showing the switch located under a cover plate which is shown in section;

Fig. 3 is an end view similar to Fig. 2 showing the method of assembling the parts;

Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of the operating lever with the ball hand-hold detached; and

Fig. 5 is a. sectional perspective view of the ball.

1 is a switch structure of one of the standard types, having a U-shaped metallic frame carrying the pivot for the operating lever 2, which has an enlargement 3 in the form of a ball in the present instance to form a hand-hold for operating the switch.

The terminals 5 and 6 are located at the sides of the section 7 of non-conducting material. In a cavity formed in the section 7 is a rocker 8 arranged to be moved by the operating lever into and out of contact with the terminals 5 and 6. A spring 9 carried by the rocker snaps the rocker into either of its two positions.

It has been the usual practice to permanently attach the ball or other shaped hand-hold 3 to the end of the lever, and if it was desired to locate the switch structure under a cover plate a a large hole had to be cut in the plate to allow the ball end of the lever to pass therethrough. This opening was unsightly and allowed dirt to enter the switch.

By making the ball hand-hold detachable from the lever, a very narrow slot 6 ma the switch structure is in In order to make the ball detachable from the lever, the end of the lever is slotted as at 10, Fig. 4, and the arms 11l1 formed there by are beveled at their ends and notches 12 are formed at the bases of the arms as shown.

The ball 3 has an opening 13 drilled or otherwise formed therein, and the mouth of the opening swaged so as to form an internal rib 14 which, when the ball is forced onto the lever, enters the notches 12 in the lever and holds the ball firmly onto the end of the lever. This ball can only be removed from the lever by force.

While one form of switch structure is shown, it will be understood that the invention can be used on any lever-operated switch mechanism.

,1 claim The combi of a body portion; a flat operat-- md thereto, the outer end of the lever being slotted to form two arms; and an enlargement forming a hand-hold having an opening therein to receive the arms of the lever, the arms having notches and the enlargement havin an internal rib arranged to enter the notches when the enlargement is mounted on the lever.

MONROE GUETT. 

